Leviathan
by Hawki
Summary: Oneshot: Shepard had recruited the leviathans to his cause, but even then, victory against the Reapers was far from guaranteed. Yet there was another type of leviathan in the galaxy. And on the galactic fringe, he found it. Along with its commander...


**Leviathan**

"So if we're inside of a leviathan…where's Jonah?"

"I do not understand the reference."

_I bet you don't._

In actual fact, John Shepard wasn't sure if he got it either. Was Jonah inside a leviathan, or was it a whale or behemoth? Ashley might have known. But then again, Ashley wasn't with him. None of his squad members were. Because if he was going to be swallowed up by this leviathan, he didn't want to take any of his other team members with him.

"You seem to be deep in thought, human."

Though they would have undoubtedly provided better company than the spider/octopus thing before him, otherwise known as Abathur.

"I'm fine."

"And you're also a poor liar."

Shepard met the thing's eyes. It stared right back, its disdain for the commander (and indeed, all humans as far as he could tell) clear to see. It might have stayed that way or even escalated had a third voice not echoed through the chamber.

"Stand down Abathur."

The thing let out a hiss, but otherwise complied. Turning away from him but still keeping his hand near his pistol, Shepard turned to the thing's so-called queen.

"Abathur troubling you?" she asked.

"I preferred Izsha."

"And she you, I think. Lessara left long ago and as you've noticed, Abathur isn't too big on conversation."

"And are you?"

"Try me."

That was what Shepard was here for. Not what he'd come for admittedly, but still…

_But nothing. Just face the facts._

Facts were plentiful these days. One fact was that the Reapers were keeping up their assault on the galaxy, and if the Crucible wasn't the silver bullet it was meant to be, chances were they'd win. A second fact was that even with the recent enlistment of the leviathans, the Reapers still held all the cards. A third fact was that Shepard had taken the _Normandy _to the galactic fringe based on the rumour of another leviathan, one that hadn't answered the call of its brethren. Following up on that fact, Shepard had found such a creature. A leviathan. But one that was unlike the leviathans he'd found in the depths of Desponia and apparently not even sapient. Yet it was still a potential weapon of war, and if he had to talk to its commander face to face to get it on his side, so be it.

"You know why I'm here," the commander began.

"Do I?"

"You claim to be a telepath. Considering how you were able to communicate with me through non-technological means, I'm guessing it's a claim that's true."

"So far so good."

"So you also know why I'm here. What's happening all over the galaxy. And why I want this leviathan to help."

"Haven't you got enough sea monsters?"

"Maybe. But this is a beast of space, not sea."

The queen fell silent. His words having been spoken, so did Shepard. Which was just fine by him. It gave him to time to observe his potential ally.

Abathur and Izsha had referred to her as "my queen/mistress" or if they wanted to use her supposedly formal name, the Queen of Blades. Yet when she'd communicated with the _Normandy_, she'd called herself Sarah Kerrigan. A human name, and apart from the brown, tentacle-like hair she possessed, she appeared to be human as well. How she'd come to be in control of this leviathan or the beasts that roamed it (zerg, apparently) Shepard didn't know, but he was willing to suspend his curiosity. There'd be time for questions once the Reapers were defeated, if at all.

"And you're not sure they can be."

Shepard looked up at the woman.

"Don't talk," Kerrigan said. "I know your thoughts. Your memories. The data sent into your mind by the Prothean beacons. Heck, I even know you keep having nightmares about a kid you failed to save on Earth."

The Spectre tightened his left fist while keeping his right by his pistol. He hadn't told anyone about that. He didn't want to. Especially not this… "queen."

"But I also know that you're true to your memories," Kerrigan continued. "You think about the Reapers in your mind, and you do battle against them in reality. You're true to yourself. There aren't many people like that."

"I'd disagree," Shepard said, thinking of his crew.

"You're not a telepath," Kerrigan said. "Or maybe I'm just unlucky. I've only known a few people like you."

The left fist unclenched while the right remained by the pistol. Shepard could appreciate a compliment. Of course, compliments nowadays tended to revolve around him being a threat to the Reapers and co., which consequently meant that every one of the overgrown squids was out for his blood. He'd gladly trade those compliments for firepower any day.

"Fine," Kerrigan said. "But you're not getting it."

Shepard was surprised, but only for an instant. Kerrigan was a telepath. She knew what he wanted, and there was no reason right now to try and stop her from reading his thoughts. All that was left to do was to address her statement.

"Why?" Shepard asked.

"Why what?"

"Why not help? You've read my mind. You've seen what's happening to the galaxy. The Reapers are here to kill or assimilate us all."

"Not me. None of my zerg have reported them."

"And how long until they do?"

"I doubt that will happen," Kerrigan said. "The Reapers, the zerg…the same thing will happen in the end." She looked down at the wet floor, as if remembering bygone times. "The Reapers consume or destroy. The zerg did that too. It led to their fragmentation and near destruction. The same will inevitably happen to the Reapers."

"You don't know that," Shepard said, stepping forward. "I was on Desponia. I know how long the cycle's gone on for. I know it'll go on a lot longer if they're not stopped here and now."

"And you don't know what you're asking me to do either," Kerrigan snapped back, meeting the Spectre's gaze. "You understand none of this, do you?"

"I understand you're a coward."

Kerrigan stepped forward. Shepard raised his pistol. The queen snorted.

"Cute," she said. "It's no canister rifle, but I wouldn't mind taking it out on the battlefield."

"But not against the Reapers apparently."

Kerrigan sighed. She turned around, walking slowly to the inner walls of her leviathan. Was she tempting her visitor to shoot, Shepard wondered, uncaring as to whether that was a line of thought she picked up or not. Could he pull it off? Would he stand to gain anything from it? He wasn't in the habit of shooting people in the back, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"They call me queen," Kerrigan said suddenly.

Shepard's grip on the pistol lessened.

"But I'm still a prisoner," the woman continued. "I may be the Queen of Blades…but I'm a prisoner also. I keep the zerg in check. Their numbers down. They're my people now…and I'm loyal to them. But I won't ever let history repeat itself. The zerg can't become the juggernaut of death and destruction they once were. I die…and that happens."

"Won't you lose control?" Shepard asked.

"Yes, but there are plenty of beings in the Swarm that think differently," Kerrigan said. "Izsha is sympathetic to my ideals, but she's the exception. Abathur, Za'gara…useful servants in their own right. But if I were to lose control, they'd gladly step in. And I don't think the galaxy would like that change of management."

"There won't be much of a galaxy left to care anyway."

"The Reapers are but one evil," Kerrigan said. "You know that."

"I-…"

"What about the leviathans?" Kerrigan asked. "They're helping you now, but suppose you win? What then? They consider themselves to be an apex species with all other ones meant to serve as their thralls? Have you thought about that?"

Shepard remained silent. He _had _thought about it actually. He didn't regret his decision to enlist the ancient aliens' aid, but suppose they won…suppose the Reapers were defeated…what then?

"Then you'll have to defeat them yourself," Kerrigan said. "Like I said, there's always another evil to face."

Shepard tried to speak, but his speech fell short as images flooded his mind. It was like the effects of a Prothean beacon, yet more…soft. More selective. But no less horrific. A dark being. Hordes of zerg. Monstrous creatures, some of glowing silver, others as dark and empty as their hearts.

_An evil averted, _Kerrigan said in his mind. _Defeated. What one monster did to another. Never again, Shepard. Some monsters you have to leave alone._

And almost as soon as it had begun, the vision ended. The commander's eyes opened. Kerrigan looked back at them.

And the Spectre remained silent.

There was nothing left to say.


End file.
